Email reveals gallows humour on Death Row
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Newly released documents show that top prison officials in California went begging to Arizona for a vital drug that is used in executing inmates on Death Row after its own supply ran out and then found an inappropriate form of words to express their gratitude when they got what they needed.
"You guys in AZ are life-savers," Scott Kernan, California's undersecretary for Corrections and Rehabilitation said in an email to his Arizona counterpart Charles Flanagan after taking delivery from him of a small amount of the knock-out drug sodium thiopental. "Buy you a beer next time I get that way."
The exchange, which suggests a remarkable blitheness about the business at hand, was contained in documents obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union and made public yesterday.
An interruption in the supply of sodium thiopental has created difficulties for death chambers in several US states. Arizona and California have turned to a British drug-maker for new supplies after their traditional supplier in Illinois suffered production problems.
The batch of sodium thiopental donated by Arizona was meant to speed the execution of a man convicted of raping and murdering a teenage girl.
He is still on Death Row, pending a new legal challenge to the constitutionality of the use of lethal injections in California.
The new documents also show California prison officials chastising Texas for having plenty of sodium thiopental on hand but refusing to share. "It is unfortunate that Texas would not share some of its 'well-stocked' supply to help sister states, but down the road they may need help in some other way and this position does not help their image," one officials said in a 29 September email to Mr Kernan.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments